Over 420,000 JPS customers now have electricity

The Jamaica Public Service (JPS) says more than 420,000 or 62 per cent of its customers now have electricity, as a result of the company's restoration efforts following the passage of Hurricane Beryl.

While still in damage assessment mode, the company has utilised opportunities to repair and energise sections of the line that had sustained minimal damage. 

Blaine Jarret, JPS' senior vice president of energy delivery, indicated that over the past two days, power was restored to over 184,000 customers in several communities across the island.

“While we managed to keep the lights on for about 35% of our customers during the hurricane, about 448,000 lost service due to damage to the infrastructure. We are now making every effort to accelerate the restoration of service to those still without,” he said.

“We understand that our customers are anxious for service to be restored immediately after the passage of the hurricane, and we remain committed to doing everything to get the lights back on as quickly and as safely as possible. However, electricity restoration is a complicated process that must be handled meticulously in order to protect our team members, our customers and the grid. Damage assessment is extremely important, especially in the first 24 hours after a hurricane,” he explained.

“The information from the assessment helps to determine the restoration strategy, how we allocate resources, and the steps we can take to expedite the restoration of supply to customers,” he said.

In keeping with its restoration protocol, JPS has been giving priority attention to the restoration of supply to critical facilities including airports, hospitals, water supply and telecommunication facilities.

Several of these facilities are now fully restored, and others are expected to be energised today.

Below are the main areas in which JPS teams will be doing restoration work today:

ST THOMAS:  Sections of Soho, Southaven, Phillip Ave, Top Hill/ Needham Pen, Poinciana, Bath, Whiteheld, Spring Garden, Middleton, Dumfries, Summit, Nutts River, Duhaney Pen, Lloyds, New Lands, Paradise, Llanduany, Lyssons, Leith Road, Trinityville, Prospect Pen Main Road and surrounding areas.

ST MARY: Sections of Annotto Bay, Fairweather Avenue, Gibraltar Housing Scheme, Annotto Bay, Oracabessa, Highgate, Cambridge, Harmony Hall, Richmond, Llanrumny, Cumsee, Harmony Hall, Richmond Town and surrounding areas, Guy's Hill and surrounding areas, Exchange and surrounding areas, Belfield & surrounding areas, Richmond Town to Richmond Prison

PORTLAND: Sections of Port Antonio, Anchovy, Rafters Rest and surrounding areas, Hope Bay Square, Rice Piece Road, Rio Grande Valley, Wayne Road, Fellowship, Grants Pen and West Retreat.

KINGSTON & ST ANDREW: Sections of Grants Pen, Temple Mead, Andrew's Pen, Chisolm Ave, Carpenter Road, Fourth Ave, Gefford Place, Picadilly/ Marescaux Rd, Port Royal, Industrial Terrace, Palm Beach, Gordon Close, Arnold Road, Jacks Hill, Upper Musgrave, West Kings House, Liguanea Ave, Aries Ave, Cavaliers, Penfield, West Kings House Road, Greenwich Road, Torrington Park, Slipe Pen Road, Washington Boulevard, Molynes Road, Constant Spring, Coopers Hill, Hunts Bay, Smokey Vale, Heroes Circle, Bull Bay, Three Miles, Terrence Avenue, Hagley Park Road, Rock Hall, Maxfield Park, Eastwood Park, and surrounding areas.

ST CATHERINE: Rhodens Pen, Tredegar, McCook's Pen, Clifton, Lauriston and surrounding areas; Sections of Portmore: Duhaney, Christian Gardens, Naggo Head Square to Bridge View, Hellshire Area, Morris Meadows to Waterford, and Passage Fort.

CLARENDON: Manchester Ave, Osbourne Sore, Clarendon Gardens, River Road

ST ANN: sections of Roaring River, Mammee Bay, Richmond, Discovery Bay, Cardiff Hall, Mt Olivet, Salem Flat Point, Bridge Water, Great Pond, Breadnut Hill and surrounding areas; Pineapple Place, James Ave, Content Garden, Breadnut Hill, Great Pond and surrounding areas, Salem; Chalky Hill, Alexandria, Huntley, Friendship, Dumbarton, Runaway Bay, Mt. Edgecombe and Tipoli.

MANCHESTER: Sections of Porus, Kendal, New Green Road, Caledonia Road, Christiana, Spauldings and surrounding areas.

 WESTMORELAND: Roaring River to Great River Pumps, Paradise to Darling Street, Llandilo to Kings Wood.

HANOVER: Tryall, Sandy Bay and sections of Lucea.

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